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[Action] -> [Video] -> [MOAR ACTION!]
Orihime stared blankly at the little box on her knees. The key was new, but most everything else she'd seen before. Her head felt thick, packed with cotton, and she was wildly disoriented. She'd been in this bay before. She knew what it was called. It was dark this time, with cool breezes sweeping into the cavern -- a marked contrast to the summer sunlight reflected blindingly from the shallow water.
She gave her head a shake and her eyes a good hard blink, then finally settled for just jumping feet-first from her cocoon perch and into the Bay, dipping her hand in the water to splash it on her face.
"Ah!" Cold! But it seemed to snap her senses more firmly into place. Genessia! That was the name of this place, she remembered! Granted she hadn't been here all that long, but she remembered trying to find dragons in Fayren (and failing), and doing a lot of baking for the Lady Maribelle.
...Baking...
...
"AHHHHH! I overslept! I'm late for work!!" The panic was even more effective at shaking off the brain fog of sleep, and the thought of Maribelle's fury filled her with energy. She dashed noisily through the bay water that soaked the hem of her skirt and shoes, darted past Weiss's hologram as it began to flicker to life, and into the streets of the city beyond.
Maribelle would never accept excuses, and Orihime had none to give. What was she supposed to say? 'Sorry I'm late, I think I was in a coma or something ha ha!' Why had she appeared back in the Bay? It didn't make sense.
She scarcely noticed the rain as she pelted through puddles and beneath dripping streetlamps, frantic to reach her destination. She was harried by her frantic thoughts. What should she say? How would she explain it when she knew so little herself?
Nearly skidding around the last street corner, she came to a breathless stop before the Tea Time Cafe. It was dark inside, the patio furniture withdrawn, the 'CLOSED' sign leaning against the inside of the window. She was too late for work, and had missed the entire day. The whole day, just gone! "Ahhhhhhh I'm so sorry..." Orihime breathed to no one at all present. Her forehead came to rest against the wall of the building with a pathetic, guilty thump. What should she do now? She could use the device, she supposed, to call her employer and let her know about the unusual circumstances she found herself in.
Raising her head, she glanced at the sign, then furrowed her brow.
It didn't say 'CLOSED' like she'd initially assumed.
It said 'FOR LEASE.'
"What...?"
Her fingers lightly brushed over the cool pane of glass as she stared at the sign. How could the cafe be vacant? Shut down? She cupped her hands against her temples to peer through the window into the dark shop interior. The entire store was completely empty -- no chairs, no hanging menu board, not even the refrigerated case that was meant to house Orihime's pastries and cakes. How could it have been cleared out so soon? Unless...
Unless...
The white box dropped to the ground at Orihime's feet as she fumbled for the communicator, turned it on, and delivered a frantic message.
HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN GONE?!
[Geez, hello to you too, Orihime. Her face is flushed, brow furrowed in distress, and her breathing is slightly labored. She's not in the Bay; instead she seems to be standing outside a vacant building in Genessia City. The rain is slowly soaking her blouse and her long chestnut hair, the spatters growing in size.]
I went to work and it was closed! The cafe was closed! Did it really happen that suddenly? I know it was summer but the night was supposed to be warmer than this, unless it's just cool because it's raining...!
[Orihime withdraws a fraction of an inch, taking a brief moment to just breathe. When she speaks again, she doesn't seem quite so frantic.]
I-I guess I'm a little out of sorts, ha ha...! My name is Orihime. Maribelle-sama, if you're there, please don't be too angry! I didn't mean to go into a coma, I promise!
Well. That was that, she supposed. She closed the communicator with a light snap and tipped her head back, taking in one deep breath as she closed her eyes. All she could do now was wait for some helpful (or lonely, chat-inclined) individuals to respond... She parted her lashes to gaze at the sky.
Rain plopped immediately into her eyes and she staggered back, blinking rapidly. Right, she should probably...do something...about being outside, in the dark, getting soaked to the bone. She'd had an apartment before, but that was probably closed up and rented out to someone else too if the cafe was shut down. Awkwardly she rubbed the back of her head, then stooped to pick up the things she'd dropped in her haste. Item by item, she replaced everything in the box, then took out the necklace and unfastened it. This item was particularly important, she remembered, so it was best to put it on right away. Her fingers were getting numb with the cold, and after several failed attempts to get her fingers to work the clasp, she gave up on the jewelry with a sigh and put it in her skirt pocket instead.
Hugging the box to her stomach, Orihime rose to her feet and walked briskly back the way she'd came, looking left and right. There was probably a late-night diner open around here somewhere. It would do her some good to find a place that offered hot tea or cocoa so she could warm up her hands, dry off a bit, and figure out what in the world she was supposed to do next. Right now? She didn't have the foggiest idea.
[OOC: Feel free to run into her at any old cafe/diner, bump into her in the temporary apartment building, or even get mowed down while she's darting around town getting her bearings!]
no subject
No. Nobody escaped. The city was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of emotion-sucking spirits that invaded, and outside the dome is a vast, barren expanse that I doubt anyone would survive in.
[ Which paints a depressing picture, Ayame thought. That they're all here pretending to live life like normal while outside is an apocalyptic wasteland. ]
no subject
[She looks down at the cookie she's eating, then the cup in her hand.]
Where do the ingredients for our food come from, then? And if we have the kind of technology that we do in Nova City, why is the land next to it so barren?
[Not that she expects Ayame to provide an answer, but there's just something very surreal about all of this.]
no subject
[ Not knowing all the answers would make normal people uncomfortable, but somehow Ayame is alright with whatever this world has to offer. It could all just be on big sham, and they could be eating something nasty all this time, but she wouldn't be too surprised at this point ]
no subject
[It's a little scary, to think of some omnipotent force having that much control over them. But it doesn't seem hostile.]
Maybe aliens are running experiments on us.
[And yet she seems weirdly okay with that if she's eating her cookies again.]